Mr. Dass earlier told reporters that the 15-hour journey by the Garuda service was one-and-a-half hours less than that by train.

By its convenient timings, it also would save two days of time, he said. The service was launched based on inputs of a survey at Koyambedu bus station and Madras Central railway station, Mr. Dass said. Plans to launch the service to Bangalore were on the anvil, he said.

The launching of the service to Chennai takes the total number of Garuda buses to 11. The other services are being plied to Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Tirupati.